U.S. Strikes Five Iranian Oil Tankers After IRGC Missile Attacks on U.S. Warships
The United States has struck and destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island, in response to recent ballistic-missile attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against U.S. Navy warships.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) identified the vessels as M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco, which were targeted in the Gulf of Oman, along with M/T Derya, which was struck near Kharg Island.
CENTCOM said the five vessels were part of an Iranian oil network that generates revenue for the IRGC and its regional proxies. U.S. forces reportedly ordered the crews to abandon the ships before carrying out the strikes, after which the vessels were rendered inoperable.
The strikes followed Iranian ballistic-missile attacks targeting the U.S. Navy destroyers USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119) and USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53). CENTCOM said the U.S. warships successfully evaded the attacks and that no American personnel were injured.
The latest operation marks another major escalation in Washington’s campaign against Iran’s maritime and oil infrastructure, with the United States increasingly linking military strikes against Iranian vessels to attacks on American forces.
The destruction of five tankers also raises further risks for oil markets and commercial shipping across the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify.
The situation remains highly fluid. Details of the Iranian missile attacks and the extent of damage to the targeted tankers remain subject to further assessment, while claims from both sides should be treated with caution pending independent verification.